Method of forming jewelry mountings or the like



Feb. 22,1938. AILF.REILLY 2,109,376

I METHOD OF FORMING JEWELRY MOUNTINGS OR THE LIKE Filed Nov. 50, 1955 INVESTOR Alfred I. Emily BY ATTQRNEYS Patented Feb. 22, 1938 PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF FORMING JEWELRY MOUNT- INGS OR THE LIKE Alfred F. Reilly, North Attleboro, Mass., assignor to Evans Case Company, North Attleboro,

Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 30, 1935, Serial No. 52,337

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a method for forming jewelry mountings or the like.

One of the objects of this invention is 'to provide a simple, practical and inexpensive method of forming mountings for stones or the like. Another object is to provide a method of the above nature which will be efiicient and reliable. Another object is to provide a method of the above nature which will form a mounting neat and attractive in appearance and of such sturdy construction as to withstand hard usage. Another object is to provide a method of the above nature the Various steps of which will be simple and inexpensive to perform resulting in a reduction 6 of labor costs.

Another object is to provide a method of the above nature which results in a uniform product of high, quality. Another object is to provide a practical mounting for stones which may be made from inexpensive materials and which is attractive in appearance. Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, arrangements of parts and in the several steps and relation and order of each of the same to one or more of the others, all as will be illustratively described herein, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claim.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of my invention,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of apparatus which may be used in the practice of my invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, showing a preliminary step in the practice of my method;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view similar to Figure 2 and showing a further step in my method;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view similar to Figure 2, showing still a further step in the practice of my method;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the finished article, and

Figure 6 is a bottom shown in Figure 5.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

As conducive to a clearer understanding of certain features of this invention, it might here be pointed out that making jewelry mountings or the like and more particularly the securing of lugs or other fastening elements to such mountings has presented many difliculties in the past. Where solder is used as a fastening medium the operation is costly and time consuming. Furplan view of the article thermore, the resultant connection is weak and subject to damage while in use. Other methods of attaching fastening elements to these mountings have been undesirable either because of weak construction or excessive cost of manufacture. Limitations of size and the amount of metal used have prevented the making of a strong mounting with integral lugs formed thereon. This is partially due to the fact that the continued stamping of soft metals such as those from which these mountings are made causes the metals to crystallize and crumble. One of the objects of this invention is to provide a method for making jewelry mountings in which the above-mentioned difiiculties as well as many others are successfully and practically eliminated.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6 of the drawing, there is generally indicated at ID a jewelry mounting which may be made by my method. Mounting In preferably comprises a body I I having lugs l2 and I3 formed thereon and integral therewith. The top of body portion H, as seen in Figure 5, may have any desired cavity [4 formed therein and also may be any desired shape to support stones or other ornaments.

Referring now to Figure 1 in which I have.

shown the dies and apparatus for producing the article shown in Figure 5, a die'block generally indicated at l5 has a cavity l6 of any desired shape formed therein. Thus a metal blank I! may rest in the cavity l6. Blank I! may be of any metal suitable for mountings of this character such as brass, copper, white metal, gold, silver or bronze. Extending downwardly from the bottom l8 of cavity l6 are two indentations l9 and 20 which are preferably of the dimensions of lugs l2 and I3 (Figure 5). A punch 28 is secured to any suitable driving apparatus capable of forcing it down on blank l1 (Figure 1); the bottom surface 28a of punch 28 is shaped to form the desired shape in the top of the mounting, for example, the cavity I 4 (Figure 5). Accordingly when punch 28 is forced down upon blank I1, the surface 28a thereof will form or partially form indentations in thetop surfaceof the blank, and, furthermore, portions of the blank Will commence descending into indentations l9 and 20, all as will be more fully described hereinafter.

Any suitable apparatus may be provided for removing blank I 1 from cavity l6. As will be explained later, blank I! must be removed from the cavity several times during the practice of my method. It therefore becomes desirableto have some apparatus for removing the blank from the cavity in quick order. A pin 2|, preferably small in diameter, extends through a suitable hole 22- formed in bottom l8 of the cavity l6. Pin 2| extends downwardly through die block I5 and plained more fully has secured to or integral with its end a flange portion 23. Flange portion 23 is spaced from the bottom 24' of die 'block l5 and'interposed therebetween is a spring 25 which continually forces flange portion 23 against the periphery of a cam member 26. Cam member connected to a shaft which may be suitably journaled to the sides of the machine mounting (not shown). A link 29 fixedly connected to shaft 30 is in turn connected to a lever 3| by a link 32. Lever 3| is pivotally connected to the machine mounting by a pin 33. Lever 3| is preferably in an accessible position on the machine where it may be easily grasped by the operator thereof, for example, by way of a handle 3|a;.

Accordingly when it becomes necessary to remove blank during the practice of my method, lever 3| is forced downwardly to pull link 29 downwardly and thus turn cam member 26, thus forcing pin 2| upwardly against the action of spring 25. Pin 2! thus moves into cavity Is to force the blank out of the cavity. As soon as lever 3| is released, spring 25, pressing against flange portion 23, immediately forces pin 2| downwardly out of cavity 16, leaving the cavity free to receive blank i! for the next stamping operation. Thus I have provided simple die apparatus for stamping mountings or the like comprising a method to be described hereinafter.

In the practice of my method, I first place the blank ll in cavity l6 of the machine. Metal blank I? may be of any suitable ductile metal such as brass, copper, white metal, gold, silver or bronze. Next the punch 28 is operated and thus forced down upon the blank, and, upon release of the punch, the blank is partially formed substantially as shown in Figure 2. Thus from an examination of Figure 2 it will be seen that small indentations Ila have been formed in the top of the blank and small lugs ilb have also been formed therein, thus partially occupying indentations l9 and 20.

The blank is then removed from the cavity by pushing lever 3| (Figure l) downwardly, as exabove. 'Next the blank iscoated with an oxidation. resisting metal such as nickel, chromium, rhodium, cobalt or for that matter any metalliccoating having the ability to resist thecorrosive effects of oxygen under high temperatures. Such coating may be applied in any convenient manner although I prefer to use an electroplating process for this is inexpensive and coatings thus applied serve the purpose very effectively. The blank is then placed in an oven and annealed at the proper temperature. The temperatures used during this annealing process vary considerably, all accordingto the characteristics of the particular metal from which the blank is formed. For example, if the blank is brass, best results may be obtained from an annealing temperature of 550 F. On the other hand, if the blank is white metal, an annealing temperature of 225 F. is desirable. The proper annealing temperatures for other metals may be easily determined; the important object of this annealing process is to avoid crystallization of the metal due to the stamping operation described above. i

Next the blank is replaced in cavity l6 and another stamping operation performed thereon substantially similar to that described. From a 26 is rigidly consideration of Figure 3, it will be seen that the length of lugs I'Ib is thus increased as is the depth of indentations Ha. The blank is then removed, repl'ated and reannealedas described above.

Again the blank is placed in the cavity l6 and after another stamping operation indentations l'l'a are sufficiently deep and lugs ||b are of the desired length thus occupying indentations l9 and 20 in their entirety. Thus the blank is completed and as a final step it should be recoated and reannealed in the manner described above.

Blank H as it appears in Figure 4 has assumed a shape substantially similar to the completed. mounting appearing in Figures 5 and 6. It will be understood that the shape of the mounting may be substantially varied as may thev number and position of lugs l2 and I3. These changes may be made without afiecting the essential details of the method described hereinabove. Furthermore, the number of stamping.- platingrannealing operations described above may vary considerably according to the material from which the blanks are formed. In some instances more or less stamping operations will be necessary. However, in most instances I have found that it is desirable to remove the blank from the cavity for the plating-annealing operation after each stamping operation. In this way crystallization of the metal is avoided; the mounting and more important the fastening lugs are thus sturdy, free from deterioration, and well able to withstand hard use.

Accordingly it will be seen that I have provided a method by the practice of which integral lugs may be formed in jewelry mountings or the like without undue inconvenience, excessive labor or increase in expense. Not only are the resultant mountings strong but also many of the troublesome problems incidental to the manufacture of mountings wherein the fastening lugs are attached as by soldering are avoided. Thus I have provided a thoroughly practical method, apparatus and article in which the several objects hereinabove referred to are successfully achieved.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features of the above invention and as the art herein described might be varied in-various parts, all without departing from the scope of the invention, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

The method of forming jewelry mountings with deepindentations and elongated mounting lugs, comprising the steps of subjecting a metal blank seated in a die having a shank cavity and confined therein against lateral expansion, to repeated impacts of a plunger having a serrated cross-sectional outline, the repeated impacts being struck by the same plunger upon the blank seated in the same die,,whereby the indentation produced at one end ofthe blank is successively deepened and a lug is formed and successively extended at the opposite end of the blank, and anhealing. the impacted-blank between the impacts to remove the hardening resulting therefrom.

- ALFRED F. REILLY. 

